New Delhi, June 16: Concerned over the spiralling prices of pulses, the Centre has decided to import the food item from Myanmar and Africa to tackle the situation.

While price of a kilogram of pulses has touched Rs 170, that of tomatoes is hovering between Rs 80-100. Potatoes, too, have become costly and as a result of the rising prices of food commodities, the retail inflation rate for the month of May has touched 5.76 per cent.

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan expressed his concern over this issue recently while discussing the interest rate policy and decided not to go against the status quo.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also called a high-level meeting on Wednesday (June 15) to discuss the inflation and therein, it was decided that pulses will be imported from Myanmar and Africa to tame the rising prices. The Indian government will send teams to those countries soon and will see if it can buy pulses directly.

Besides, the Centre will also provide pulses to the states from its own reserve. Union Minister of Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said the Centre would request the states to ensure that pulses are sold at a highest price of Rs 120 which will see a reduction of price in the market.

Besides discussing the reasons for the rising prices, it was also decided that the quantity of pulses in govenment storages will be increased.

What Paswan said on rising tomato prices

Paswan also said that the prices of tomatoes are increasing because of damage to crops in this season, adding that it is difficult to stock tomato like pulses or wheat and hence reining in the prices is more challenging.